MAP Europe in India

From December 7-10, the 5th World Ayurveda Congress and the accompanying Arogya Expo took place in Bhopal, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The organizers reported the participation of 3,000 delegates and 500,000 visitors. The event was hosted by the "World Ayurveda Foundation", the government of Madhya Pradesh, and the "Vijnana Bharti" organization.

The motto of the World Ayurveda Congress was: "Enriching Public Health Through Ayurveda"

Since 2002, this congress has been held biennially, offering national and international participants a platform for authentic and comprehensive information, further education, and the exchange of opinions and knowledge. The World Ayurveda Congress presents itself as a global gathering of all those active in the field of Ayurveda, an intensive period for assessing the situation and setting future plans and activities with the aim of expanding the global awareness of Ayurveda and thus enabling people worldwide to be informed about the beneficial advantages of this holistic health system.

Over 500 exhibitors participated in the "Arogya Expo" with a stand; Maharishi Ayurveda Products India was also represented here. The exhibition was ceremonially opened on the first day of the event. Guests of honor included several ministers from the state of Madhya Pradesh, such as Kailash Vijayvargiya, and the mayor of Bhopal. In his welcoming speech, Minister Vijayvargiya particularly emphasized that Ayurveda causes no side effects.

On December 8, the official inauguration took place, traditionally beginning with the lighting of candles and the recitation of the "Saraswati Vandana" hymn. Some of the Western guests present learned that this recitation implores the Indian goddess "Saraswati" for supreme knowledge and wisdom.

In his opening speech, Manohar Joshi, former Union Minister, Member of Parliament, and guest of honor, said: "Ayurveda is our traditional heritage. It will always be there... The Indian system of Ayurvedic medicine is being developed all over the world based on Indian traditional knowledge of Ayurveda. Therefore, it is the role of the government and society to help it grow." He emphasized the importance of this healthcare system being accessible, affordable, and effective for everyone.

Many eminent scientists and representatives from politics and society participated as panel guests in the opening ceremony. Dr. med. Oliver Werner from MAP Europe was also invited to the podium and asked to address the audience with a welcoming speech.

After the opening ceremony, until the end of the congress, more than 300 lectures, presentations, and workshops on the topic of Ayurveda took place in approximately 30 sessions: experience reports and results from research and development, clinical studies, information on health management, in-depth knowledge about herbs and minerals used in Ayurveda, approaches of Vedic health teachings of Ayurveda, guidelines and quality control, lectures on many Ayurvedic strategies, and also lectures for the industry captivated the participants and were vividly discussed.

Speaking for Maharishi Ayurveda were Dr. Robert Schneider (USA) and Lothar Pirc (Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems); Dr. Schneider also chaired about ten events.

Maharishi Ayurveda was also strongly represented in the "International Delegates Assembly": Dr. Anand and Ram Shrivastava with their team, from MAP Europe Dr. med. Oliver Werner, Shantanu Banerji and Gudrun Buchzik, Lothar Pirc from the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre Bad Ems, Dr. Wolfgang Schachinger, Ayurveda doctor in Austria, board member of the German Society for Ayurveda and "EURAMA" – European Ayurveda Medical Association, as well as other Maharishi Ayurveda distributors from Europe and the USA. Dr. Werner and Gudrun Buchzik also represented the "Ayurveda Producers' and Traders' Association Europe – APTA".

It was the third time that this event took place within the framework of the World Ayurveda Congress; the first "IDA" took place in 2008.

Representatives from many nations discussed among themselves and with representatives of various organizations, authorities, and government agencies on topics such as education, research and development, production, standards, quality assurance, services, healthcare, global expansion, legal foundations, and restrictions. Resolutions were passed and actions initiated.

On December 9, delegates had an exchange with the AYUSH Secretary of State, Minister Anil Kumar from the Department of Health and Family Welfare of the Indian government. ("AYUSH" stands for the "Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy", a department of the Indian Ministry of Health).

Dr. med. Oliver Werner from Maharishi Ayurveda Products Europe, as the first speaker in his presentation, explained the legal basis within the EU and asked the Indian government for concretely formulated support to help ensure that Ayurveda products will continue to be available in Europe in the future. The government representatives then discussed the situation with the delegates present and promised assistance and continued action. The dialogue will not cease, and this network will continue to be actively shaped.

The World Ayurveda Congress concluded with a ceremony on December 10, which also included an award ceremony for the best exhibition stand. Bhopal was again proposed as the venue for the 6th World Ayurveda Congress in 2014. The Maharishi Ayurveda team was already traveling to Delhi at that time to attend the retreat meeting of the main producer MAP India.

Retreat Meeting Maharishi Ayurveda Products India

After participating in the World Ayurveda Congress and visiting the Maharishi Vedic Health Center in Bhopal, Dr. Oliver Werner, Shantanu Banerji, Billy Minns, and Gudrun Buchzik from MAP Europe attended the international conference organized by the main producer MAP India in Delhi as part of the silver jubilee.

More than 26 participants from Europe, the USA, and Australia/New Zealand were represented. In 13 presentations, topics such as research, product development, quality assurance, marketing, trends, strategies, and legal bases were presented and vividly discussed. Important decisions were made and future plans were developed. The social program included a classical Indian dance performance and a visit to MAP India's impressive manufacturing facilities.

You can find many more exciting questions and answers in our webinars on YouTube.

And maybe you'll be there with your questions at the next live webinar yourself. We look forward to seeing you!

Your Maharishi Ayurveda Team